Pancharatna society to ramp up security

Wednesday’s blast at Opera House has prompted Pancharatna Cooperative Society to scale up its security arrangements.

Wednesday’s blast at Opera House has prompted Pancharatna Cooperative Society to scale up its security arrangements. The bomb went off on Tata Road number 2, close to Pancharatna, which is Mumbai’s largest diamond hub. With more than 30,000 people moving in and out of the building every day, it is a prime target for a terror attack.

The society now plans to install hi-tech scanners, which will help detect RDX, in addition to chemical and human bombs. Currently, the society relies on physical checks and metal detectors for screening visitors.

"But these are not enough to detect the various explosives," said Naresh Mehta, secretary of the building. Mehta added that the society will also install scanners, which will scan vehicles entering the building.

At present, the society spends close to Rs7 lakh every month on security and plans to increase the budget for better safety. "We have tight security in place. But we need to upgrade to combat the destructive equipment used by terrorists these days," another committee member said requesting anonymity.

A source in the managing committee revealed that two years ago, the society invited an Israeli security agency to help them fortify the building. But the agency was unwilling to take up the contract for Pancharatna alone and wanted other diamond hubs in the area to sign up as well. "However, other societies did not agree with the proposal, and the matter went cold," the committee member said.

This time though, Pancharatna is willing to go solo and might finally rope in an Israeli firm to help them upgrade the security system.